In order for any kind of sales call to be successful, all elements of the call need to be carefully thought through and expertly sculpted. Whether it’s inbound or outbound, a call to customers or prospects, using cold or warm data, the call needs to take the appropriate shape in order to achieve the desired outcome.
At Blue Donkey, we call this careful orchestration of the telemarketing process ‘mood music’. The rhythm by which the call develops, the way the conversation flows and the level at which it resonates with the potential buyer all influence the success of the call and the likelihood of a long term business relationship developing from the contact. As well as helping telemarketers to boost their success rate, getting the mood music just right maximises the customer experience and increases the chances the caller will seal the deal.
Tempo
The tempo of the call refers to how it’s paced. The speed of the dialogue, the quality of the opening questions and the responsiveness of the contact all have an influence on the tempo. Get the tempo spot on, and the call is much more likely to be a success.
All too often, the people making sales calls begin their calls too quickly. Whether because of nerves, fatigue or pressure to hit their targets, they’re likely to start their calls off too quickly. This can make it difficult for the contact to engage with them and can place barriers in the way of effective communication. A good tempo can be achieved by the caller using a natural pace, listening to the person they’re speaking to and responding appropriately. This helps the customer to feel like they matter and gives weight to the sales pitch itself.
Posture
Even though you’re using the phone, posture is incredibly important when making a sales call. Often, when we’re tired, unmotivated, or reluctant to make a call, we automatically assume a slight foetal position at our desks. This can make the voice sound suppressed and unconfident. Like a wind instrument, the human voice creates a clearer sound along straight lines. By sitting up straight or even standing callers will find their tone is improved and that their pitch comes off more confidently.
Tone
When we talk to people face to face, we use our words, our body language and our tone to get our meaning across and engage our counterpart. As body language can’t be read over the phone, it’s left to the tone we use to convey subtle ideas and connect with the person we’re speaking to. The tone you use during a sales call can impact on everything from the perceived credibility of your words to the empathy of your message.
In general, high tones indicate excitement and enthusiasm. However too many high tones can come across as contrived. Low tones on the other hand are calming, welcoming and engaging, but go too low and your call could come across as boring. By using a combination of tones, and being mindful to avoid overuse of any particular pitch, you can engage your contact and draw them into the conversation.
Language
Language is one of the most important parts of any sales call. In many cases the words we choose are the key to our success, with positive words, descriptive phrases and easy to understand pitches helping salespeople to connect with their contacts and communicate their message. Taking words like ‘maybe’, ‘could’ and ‘might’ out of sales vocabulary and replacing them with words like ‘can’, ‘do’ and ‘will’, makes a call seem more positive, more confident and more trustworthy.
Unlike face-to-face contact, talking on the telephone is a learned behaviour. By using the right tone, the right words, the right posture and the right tempo, you, and your team, can ensure your calls resonate with your potential customers and that your sales campaign gets the results it needs. If you need help honing these essential skills, get in touch with Blue Donkey to find out how we can help.